wedding video editing advice at DVinfo.net

Brendan Donohue · July 16th, 2007, 03:09 PM

I am very new to wedding videography, well, videography in general I should say. I shot video for my friends wedding last week for free, partly as a wedding gift and also to familiarize myself with my camera and some wedding videography shooting and editing techniques. I shot a little over 2 hrs. worth of footage on my GL-1 with a crappy tripod; using the camera's on board mic. I just imported all the footage into iMovie last night and I'm pretty happy with how everything looks so far. The church was well lit, all the dialogue was audible..there was some noise from an ac unit, but I'm sure I can eq some of that out. The priest basically told me I could shoot video there, but I had to stand all the way in the back (it was a small chapel), so that kind of sucked, but I still got the ceremony footage I needed, as well as lots church exterior shots and pre ceremony events/photo shoots. I also got all the neccessary footage from the reception, although the lighting was dim and I didn't have a video light, it still looks decent. My favorite shot of the day was when the groomsmen kidnapped the groom from the dance floor and threw him in the hotel pool, very spur of the moment, I could barely grab my camera in time to get the action, but I caught the whole thing and it looks awesome!!

Ok, so I've got all the footage on my hardrive now and I'm trying to get some guide lines on how the finished product should flow. The client did't ask for anything specific so I pretty much have free reign with this thing. I have never actually watched a full professional wedding video, but I have watched tons of "demo" clips on videographer web sites. I'm thinking that I want to have 2 menu options on the dvd; one for the Ceremony and one for the Reception, basically two separate videos each divided into individual chapters.

Just looking for some advice on overall editing of the footage, how long the entire video should be and how it should flow. I know not to go too crazy with effects or anything, and to be tasteful with transitions. (i guess I'm pretty limited in iMovie). I'll probably be using some buyout music that I have for the "montage" sequences. if anyone has any cool editing tips for wedding vids, I'd love to hear them. Any knowledge on the subject is welcome!

Greg Patch · July 16th, 2007, 03:15 PM

Make them a music video of the wedding day and them give them the ceremony. Just find a cool song that they like or that you like and edit to the music..

Just do what feels right...

Brendan Donohue · July 16th, 2007, 09:11 PM

yeah! I like the music video approach, but I'm trying to decide if I should give them all the original footage also, lightly edited, on a separate dvd, because I'd feel bad if I left anything important out...

Waldemar Winkler · July 16th, 2007, 09:52 PM

I shot my first weddings on a GL1 many years ago, and still use it with the other cameras and equipment I have acquired since then. I also edited my work on iMovie for two years before moving to FCP. I still use iMovie for some projects that demand quick delivery and little post work.

I personally don't like the music video short forms very much because I feel they don't tell the whole story nearly as well as the whole story does. If I do short forms at all, they are extracted from the body of my full-length video as a separate project (easy to do with FCE or FCP, laborious with iMovie).

Tell the story accurately, however you choose. Just tell it with enthusiasm. Take an image/audio sequence and allow it to grow to a climatic point, then let the mood fade a bit before introducing the next story/image sequence. Each sequence builds upon the previous one. Emotional interest continues to grow to a high point, then slowly fades to a logical end. Full length or short form, the image/audio sequences have to make sense. That is probably why I don't like doing the short form ... I simply haven't had enough practice to know how to make it look really good.

Thoroughly work out almost every minute of the shooting of the event, then apply that shooting schedule to your post production workflow. Work out everything on paper ... computer folder and file structure, still image structure, graphics/ titles, ... everything you can imagine. Do this before you charge batteries for the shoot. The difference of careful pre-planning is significantly reduced time in producing the final video.

If you would really like to see a wedding video from start to finish, send me a private e-mail. I'll gladly send a copy of one of the videos I have produced. There are two conditions. One, we have a phone conversation about the video. Two, my work is nothing more than a sample. Your work will be a result of your unique vision.

Jason Donaldson · July 17th, 2007, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendan Donohue

I'm thinking that I want to have 2 menu options on the dvd; one for the Ceremony and one for the Reception, basically two separate videos each divided into individual chapters.

Usually I have 3 menu options

1 - complete wedding day
2 - chapter selection of 1
3 - music video

Jim Fields · July 17th, 2007, 12:29 PM

I offer.

Ceremony
Post Ceremony Beauty Shots
Reception
Highlights
Montage

Usually on a 2 disc set

Noa Put · July 18th, 2007, 05:58 AM

I usually end up with 7 to 8 different parts, each part being between 3 and max 15 minutes long resulting in a 30-50minute video. Each part also has a clear beginning and end and I try to use a combination of images which set the mood of that moment combined with the music the couple asked for and then switching to 'real life' footage.
Because every event of the day, wether it is a fotoshoot or a reception, can be looked at as a seperate film it stays interesting to look at, before people start to get bored another part of the day starts :D

Brendan Donohue · July 18th, 2007, 08:40 AM

cool, thanks for all the great feedback, this will help me greatly!!

brendan

Jason Donaldson · July 18th, 2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Fields

I offer.

Ceremony
Post Ceremony Beauty Shots
Reception
Highlights
Montage

Usually on a 2 disc set

Can I ask what you do differently between highlights and montage?

Brendan Donohue · July 19th, 2007, 12:09 AM

hey jason, I noticed you use a flycam3000. How is that working out for you..is it a pretty nice stabilizer?? do you have any footage with it that u could post??

July 16th, 2007, 03:09 PM	#1
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	wedding video editing advice I am very new to wedding videography, well, videography in general I should say. I shot video for my friends wedding last week for free, partly as a wedding gift and also to familiarize myself with my camera and some wedding videography shooting and editing techniques. I shot a little over 2 hrs. worth of footage on my GL-1 with a crappy tripod; using the camera's on board mic. I just imported all the footage into iMovie last night and I'm pretty happy with how everything looks so far. The church was well lit, all the dialogue was audible..there was some noise from an ac unit, but I'm sure I can eq some of that out. The priest basically told me I could shoot video there, but I had to stand all the way in the back (it was a small chapel), so that kind of sucked, but I still got the ceremony footage I needed, as well as lots church exterior shots and pre ceremony events/photo shoots. I also got all the neccessary footage from the reception, although the lighting was dim and I didn't have a video light, it still looks decent. My favorite shot of the day was when the groomsmen kidnapped the groom from the dance floor and threw him in the hotel pool, very spur of the moment, I could barely grab my camera in time to get the action, but I caught the whole thing and it looks awesome!! Ok, so I've got all the footage on my hardrive now and I'm trying to get some guide lines on how the finished product should flow. The client did't ask for anything specific so I pretty much have free reign with this thing. I have never actually watched a full professional wedding video, but I have watched tons of "demo" clips on videographer web sites. I'm thinking that I want to have 2 menu options on the dvd; one for the Ceremony and one for the Reception, basically two separate videos each divided into individual chapters. Just looking for some advice on overall editing of the footage, how long the entire video should be and how it should flow. I know not to go too crazy with effects or anything, and to be tasteful with transitions. (i guess I'm pretty limited in iMovie). I'll probably be using some buyout music that I have for the "montage" sequences. if anyone has any cool editing tips for wedding vids, I'd love to hear them. Any knowledge on the subject is welcome!

July 16th, 2007, 09:52 PM	#4
Waldemar Winkler Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Durango, Colorado, USA Posts: 711	I shot my first weddings on a GL1 many years ago, and still use it with the other cameras and equipment I have acquired since then. I also edited my work on iMovie for two years before moving to FCP. I still use iMovie for some projects that demand quick delivery and little post work. I personally don't like the music video short forms very much because I feel they don't tell the whole story nearly as well as the whole story does. If I do short forms at all, they are extracted from the body of my full-length video as a separate project (easy to do with FCE or FCP, laborious with iMovie). Tell the story accurately, however you choose. Just tell it with enthusiasm. Take an image/audio sequence and allow it to grow to a climatic point, then let the mood fade a bit before introducing the next story/image sequence. Each sequence builds upon the previous one. Emotional interest continues to grow to a high point, then slowly fades to a logical end. Full length or short form, the image/audio sequences have to make sense. That is probably why I don't like doing the short form ... I simply haven't had enough practice to know how to make it look really good. Thoroughly work out almost every minute of the shooting of the event, then apply that shooting schedule to your post production workflow. Work out everything on paper ... computer folder and file structure, still image structure, graphics/ titles, ... everything you can imagine. Do this before you charge batteries for the shoot. The difference of careful pre-planning is significantly reduced time in producing the final video. If you would really like to see a wedding video from start to finish, send me a private e-mail. I'll gladly send a copy of one of the videos I have produced. There are two conditions. One, we have a phone conversation about the video. Two, my work is nothing more than a sample. Your work will be a result of your unique vision. __________________ Waldemar

July 19th, 2007, 12:09 AM	#10
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	flycam hey jason, I noticed you use a flycam3000. How is that working out for you..is it a pretty nice stabilizer?? do you have any footage with it that u could post??

July 16th, 2007, 03:15 PM	#2
Greg Patch Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Huntsville, Alabama Posts: 181	Make them a music video of the wedding day and them give them the ceremony. Just find a cool song that they like or that you like and edit to the music.. Just do what feels right...

July 16th, 2007, 09:11 PM	#3
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	yeah! I like the music video approach, but I'm trying to decide if I should give them all the original footage also, lightly edited, on a separate dvd, because I'd feel bad if I left anything important out...

July 17th, 2007, 12:29 PM	#6
Jim Fields Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fort Worth Texas Posts: 247	I offer. Ceremony Post Ceremony Beauty Shots Reception Highlights Montage Usually on a 2 disc set

July 18th, 2007, 05:58 AM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	I usually end up with 7 to 8 different parts, each part being between 3 and max 15 minutes long resulting in a 30-50minute video. Each part also has a clear beginning and end and I try to use a combination of images which set the mood of that moment combined with the music the couple asked for and then switching to 'real life' footage. Because every event of the day, wether it is a fotoshoot or a reception, can be looked at as a seperate film it stays interesting to look at, before people start to get bored another part of the day starts :D

July 18th, 2007, 08:40 AM	#8
Brendan Donohue Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 161	cool, thanks for all the great feedback, this will help me greatly!! brendan